


areyouarealmonster's Tumblr Prompt Fills - Coldatom

by areyouarealmonster



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: M/M, Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-10-11 13:20:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 14,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10465977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areyouarealmonster/pseuds/areyouarealmonster
Summary: Short fics from tumblr promptsMost chapters are general, some are explicit





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Dubious](http://dubiousculturalartifact.tumblr.com) asked: Cold Is The Night by The Oh Hello's & Coldatom

Ray’s used to loss.

 

Of course he is, loss has fueled everything in his life. Every big moment, really.

 

But, god, losing people he cares about still hurts. Even losing people he didn’t realize he cared for as much as he did.

 

Because Leonard Snart was a _dick_ and he was a _thief_ and he was _rude_ and _petty_ and…

 

And Ray still misses the man. He keeps expecting that drawl to come around every corner. He keeps waiting for a sarcastic comment that never comes, a quip designed to cut Ray to the core.

 

So Ray watches the team move on, and he wonders why he can’t.

 

Months go by. Maybe. Maybe it’s weeks, maybe it’s years. It’s funny, how time stops being relevant when you’re a time traveler. The team sleeps when they’re tired, they eat when they’re hungry, and for the most part it all works out.

 

The great thing is that Ray is amazing at faking it. He puts on a sunny smile, and nobody asks any questions. It’s better that way, he thinks. The team doesn’t need to deal with his problems; they’ve all got so much else going on.

 

He fakes it and he fakes it and he doesn’t question the hole in his heart, so it just becomes a part of him. A gaping loneliness, covered with a cheerful grin.

 

Until Leonard Snart walks into the church, with a quip and a vicious smirk, and it feels like a well, overflowing with the rains.

 

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Ray says, and Leonard doesn’t even acknowledge his presence. Why would he? This Leonard hasn’t met Ray yet. 

 

The well drains, dries up, quick as a wink. The hole in Ray’s heart lingers, stays, aches.

 

It’s almost a blessing, when the world shifts, and time swallows him whole. His last thoughts are of Leonard, and if they’ll see each other in this new reality. He doubts it.

 

Ray’s good at being alone. He’s used to it. He’ll live with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/158841669189/cold-is-the-night-by-the-oh-hellos-coldatom)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Reed](http://scoficld.tumblr.com) asked: coldatom + forever and always by parachute >:)  
>  (reed actually changed this to Emperor’s New Clothes by Panic! at the Disco for me bc i wasn’t getting anywhere good with this and they love me (and they gave me a list but i picked this from it))

God, Snart is so dramatic. Ray really should be annoyed with it. 

 

Really, does he _have_  to make it an Event whenever he walks–no, struts–into a room? Everything with him has to be a big gesture: whether it’s saying _anything_ in that ridiculous drawl of his (that Ray definitely does _not_  find hot), smirking at inopportune moments, or peacocking and stealing wallets at every opportunity. 

 

Not that Ray doesn’t understand big gestures. It’s just that Ray usually goes overboard trying to make people happy, not with stealing their stuff. 

 

Anyway, his wallet has gone missing for the third time _this week_  and it isn’t a huge deal because it’s not like credit cards or IDs are something they carry around; it’s just whatever cash is appropriate to whatever time period they’ve landed in. But it is _annoying_. 

 

“Snart,” Ray says, walking over to the thief, “can I have my wallet back?”

 

Snart just stares at him, with that obnoxious smirk playing across his lips (Ray definitely does _not_  find this hot either). 

 

“Please?” Ray asks. 

 

“Finders keepers, Raymond,” Snart responds, lingering on Ray’s name, as usual.

 

Ray holds out his hand. “I don’t get why this is still fun for you, you keep doing it, and it’s getting old.”

 

“Maybe you should keep a better hold on your possessions. Then I wouldn’t have to teach you a lesson by stealing it. It’s almost embarrassingly easy at this point, Raymond.”

 

“He’s flirting with you, haircut,” Mick says, walking by, and Snart immediately whips the bouncy ball he’d been fiddling with at Mick’s head. 

 

It hits solidly on the side, and Mick doesn’t even flinch. 

 

Ray’s jaw drops. 

 

“You didn’t hear that,” Snart says, glaring. 

 

Ray starts talking, not sure what the words are going to be until they’re already out of his mouth. “Who taught you how to flirt? Because you’re flirting like a five year old, why couldn’t you just, I don’t know, use cheesy pickup lines like a normal person?”

 

Snart raises an eyebrow. “Am I a normal person?”

 

“No,” Ray admits, “you’re not. But, uh, I’d be okay. You know, with you flirting with me. More. Or, maybe, even dinner?”

 

So, really, Leonard’s penchant for drama works out in the end. Even if Mick had to step in to save him from himself. And if Ray does like Leonard’s big gestures a little too much, well, at least they have something in common. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/158873896389/coldatom-forever-and-always-by-parachute)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Dubious](http://dubiousculturalartifact.tumblr.com) asked: coldatom + cuddling

Of all the people Rip could’ve assigned to partner up with Snart on this stakeout, why did it have to be _Raymond_? Stakeouts were supposed to be silent, still, calm. Your attention was supposed to be focused entirely on the building you were casing, or the mark you were following to get their schedule down pat. It was decidedly not supposed to be interrupted constantly with long-winded sentences, interposed with chattering teeth; both of which were coming from the man curled up on the hard ground next to him. 

 

Snart can only take so much of chattering. He interrupts Raymond halfway through a long-winded description of the changes Ray was implementing in his ATOM suit to ask, “Raymond, how many layers are you wearing?” Ray stopped, mid-thought, to mentally count. 

 

“Um, I think eight…”

 

“Did Gideon not give you weather-appropriate clothes?”

 

“I think they’re weather appropriate, but, uh, I guess I’m not good at sitting still for hours in freezing temperatures. You seem pretty comfortable, though.”

 

“Yeah, well, it kind of comes with the territory, Raymond.”

 

“Right, Captain Cold, you’d be comfortable in the North Pole in a t-shirt.”

 

“I wouldn’t go that far…”

 

Raymond shifts, and his already red-from-cold face seems to turn a bit redder. “Uh, do you think maybe…no, never mind.”

 

“ _Raymond_.”

 

“Okay, uh, like, sharing body heat? With me? Would help me warm up?”

 

“You wanna cuddle, Raymond.”

 

“Uh, I just, I’m really cold.”

 

Snart sighs and gestures for Ray to curl up against his side. Raymond does so with a small happy noise, and nestles up against Snart’s warmth. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> klancegays asked: coldatom, 59 :3c  
> 59\. “I am not losing you again.” (god this got long i’m sorry)

Ray had hoped that the last memory he would have of Leonard Snart would not be the man freezing Amaya and shattering her to the ground. 

 

He’d hoped and hoped, even as he fought the Legion, even as he fought _Leonard_. Young Leonard. _Cold_  Leonard. 

 

It’s jarring, he thinks, as he remembers Leonard in his final days. As he remembers Leonard smiling at him. This Leonard, this _Captain Cold_ doesn’t smile, he just smirks. He just snarls. 

 

He just kills.

 

It hurts Ray more than he ever thought it would. And he hopes, he hopes with everything he has that he’ll get to see _their_  Leonard again, the team’s Leonard. His Leonard. 

 

He hopes it as his hand closes around the spear, as the Legends gather in a circle with their hands overlapping, with Nate reading out the words. He looks across at Mick, meets the man’s eyes, and knows somehow that they’re thinking the same thing. 

 

Somewhere deep inside, Ray knows he shouldn’t be hoping for this, shouldn’t be wishing for it, because his hand is on the Spear of Destiny, but he doesn’t care, he doesn’t care because they’re bringing Amaya back and if they can bring her back, why can’t they–

 

A blinding light hits and the world falls away. 

 

When he can see again, when he’s blinked away the brightness, at first he doesn’t realize what’s happened. Amaya’s back, she’s there, she’s enveloped in a pile of Sara and Nate and Jax and…And Leonard is lying on the ground, Cold Leonard, back where Mick had left him, had knocked him out, well, cold.

 

Then Ray turns, and there’s _his_ Leonard. Wearing that same jacket that Ray had tried to wear, wearing that wide-eyed shock that Ray knows all too well. 

 

Ray’s moving before he realizes it, gathering Leonard in his arms. Instead of tensing, Leonard leans into it, even as his mind is probably whirling, trying to figure out where he is, what’s happening.

 

“I am not losing you again,” Ray says as he pulls back. And then he leans forward, and does what he should have done earlier, what he should have done so many times already. He kisses Leonard, soft and light, their lips pressed together for a second, a fraction of a second. 

 

“Shove over, Haircut,” Mick says, pushing Ray out of the way. Ray lets him, it’s not like he has any claim to Leonard. Mick grabs hold of Leonard’s shoulders and shakes him. “Don’t do that again, you hear?”

 

Leonard’s eyes flick back and forth between Ray and Mick. “How?” he asks, his voice soft. 

 

Ray shakes his head. “It’s, uh, a long story.”

 

And then the rest of the team comes over, to welcome Leonard back. _Their_ Leonard. 

 

Leonard greets them all, still confused, still unsure. His eyes keep wandering back over to Ray. 

 

Sara and Mick frogmarch Leonard back to the Waverider, shove him into the medbay, and Ray trails behind, because it’s still not his place, Leonard still isn’t _his_. But he can’t stay away, he can’t let Leonard out of his sight, because what if he’s not real, what if he disappears…Ray knows that’s ridiculous, but he worries anyway. 

 

He hears Sara and Leonard talking, about a kiss that never should have happened, and he’s relieved when he realizes it’s not about _him_ , it’s about _them_ , and then Sara comes out into the hallway and pushes Ray into the room, closing the door behind her as she leaves. 

 

Ray and Leonard stare at each other, neither willing to break the silence, neither willing to look away. 

 

“You brought me back,” Leonard says finally, a statement, not a question. 

 

Ray nods. “I’ve– _we’ve_ missed you.”

 

“You can say that you missed me, Raymond,” Leonard says, swinging his legs off the cot, standing up, walking forward. “I don’t mind.”

 

“I missed you,” Ray says, taking a step forward, meeting Leonard in the middle of the medbay, “so much.” 

 

Leonard reaches his hands up, cups Ray’s face. “You won’t lose me again,” he says, and brings Ray in for a kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159009091584/coldatom-59-3c)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Coldatom 86  
> 86\. “You know, it’s okay to cry.”

“You know, it’s okay to cry.”

 

Leonard looks up to Raymond, perched awkwardly in his doorway. 

 

“Jax told us,” Raymond continues, “what happened with your father. The Maximilian Emerald, and all that.”

 

“I’m not gonna cry, Raymond,” Leonard says. And it’s not untrue. He’d gotten past the lump in his throat, he’d blinked away the tears that had threatened to spill out. 

 

Raymond walks in, without an invitation. Of course he does. The man doesn’t understand boundaries, or personal space, or social cues most of the time. Leonard is trying to put out _leave me alone_  vibes, but they prove _not very effective_ against the boy scout. 

 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Raymond asks, sitting down next to Leonard on the bed. 

 

“No,” Leonard says, wishing Raymond would just go away. He could tell the man to do so, but he doesn’t want to see Raymond’s big eyes fill with tears, so he holds his tongue. 

 

“Really? Because I’ve been told I’m a good listener, and I’ve also been told I give good hugs, if you need one of those.”

 

Shit. This isn’t helping Leonard push his emotions down and away–it’s doing the exact opposite. They’re bubbling back up to the surface, and Leonard wants to roll his eyes but he thinks he might tear up if he does. 

 

“Hey,” Raymond says, voice quiet, “it’s okay. Let it out. I won’t judge. I’m here for you.”

 

Leonard pitches forward and buries his face in Raymond’s shoulder. Not to cry, definitely not, he’s absolutely not sniffling into Raymond’s shirt. 

 

Raymond’s arms wrap around him, holding him close. Raymond had been right about the fact that he gives great hugs, Leonard’ll give him that. 

 

“I just wanted to make things better for my sister,” Leonard chokes out, to explain himself, to make Raymond understand that he’s not _weak_ , he’s not. “But she’ll still get beaten, she’ll still have that scar, and nothing I do prevents that from happening.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Leonard,” Raymond mutters against Leonard’s hair. “I’m so sorry. You did what you could.”

 

But Leonard didn’t. He could have killed his father then and there. He doesn’t tell Raymond that, he doesn’t want the boy scout to lose any esteem he may have for Leonard. Which is stupid, Leonard shouldn’t care what Raymond thinks. 

 

But he does. 

 

He does, and he hates it, but he hates it like he hates how good Raymond’s arms feel wrapped around him, like he hates the feel of Raymond’s hands stroking his back, like he hates Raymond’s lips pressed against his hair. 

 

He hates all of it because he wishes he actually hated it, instead of starting to rely on it. Starting to trust it. Starting to trust _Raymond_. 

 

But at least for now, he lets Raymond hold him, and he doesn’t cry into Raymond’s shoulder, he doesn’t. He really, really doesn’t. But he does feel better. So, that’s something at least. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159025945189/coldatom-86)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ruthc93 asked: ColdAtom+5 :)  
> 5\. “You can’t even look at me!” (god, ruth, why do you want pain?)

Ray is definitely _not_ avoiding Leonard. Absolutely not. After all, he was one of the people who chose to bring Leonard back, when they were using the Spear of Destiny to reset reality. So, really, he has no reason to avoid Leonard, right?

 

Wrong, apparently.

 

Ray’s working alone in the lab, in the middle of the night, when he hears the drawl from the doorway: “Raymond.”

 

He jumps but doesn’t turn around. “Yeah, Leonard?” he asks, trying to maintain focus on his tech.

 

“You can’t even look at me!” Leonard says, his voice harsh, and…hurt? “I sacrificed myself for you, for all of you, and you can’t even fucking _look at me_. What did I do, Raymond?”

 

Ray does turn around at that, but his eyes find a spot on the wall behind Leonard’s head. “It’s nothing,” he says, and god, it hurts.

 

It hurts because when he looks at this Leonard, all he sees is the younger Leonard aiming his gun at Amaya and pulling the trigger. All he sees is the younger Leonard shattering Amaya into pieces, with a _fucking pun_.

 

“Raymond,” Leonard says, and his voice sounds so…wrecked. So alone. “Nobody will tell me anything, not even Mick. I need you to tell me what happened, what my younger self did.”

 

“You killed Amaya,” Ray says, and he finally flicks his eyes over to meet Leonard’s. God, he hates the pain he sees in Leonard’s eyes.

 

“But…she’s alive,” Leonard replies. “You brought her back.”

 

“Yeah,” Ray replies, looking away again. “It’s just that none of really knew how bad you were. Except Mick, but I think he’s mad at you for other reasons…” Ray trails off because he can see the pain that Leonard is holding back even out of the corner of his eye. 

 

“You don’t want me here anymore,” Leonard says. 

 

“No, Leonard,” he says, and he’s up and halfway across the room before he can remember why he’s upset with Leonard. But it’s too late, he’s already started, and besides, he needs Leonard to look confident again, to look snarky, to look _smug_. Not lost. 

 

Leonard puts a hand up and Ray stops. “I don’t need your pity, Raymond. I just need you and the rest of the team to stop…just, stop trying. Just drop me off in 2016, or 2017, or wherever we are now in relation to real time. I can’t–”

 

Leonard breaks. Ray’s heart follows.

 

“Leonard,” Ray starts, but he can’t say anything more because Leonard’s whole face has crumpled, his eyes brimming with anguish, and it feels like a knife between Ray’s ribs. 

 

“I just don’t understand,” Leonard whispers. “I sacrificed myself for the team, I didn’t ask for you to bring me back, but you did, you and Mick did, and I didn’t ask for that but you won’t even speak to me, you can’t even look at me, and I just don’t understand. Raymond, I don’t understand, I thought…”

 

“I’m sorry, Leonard,” Ray says, finally stepping forward to wrap himself around the other man. Leonard doesn’t lean in, but he doesn’t push Ray away, either. “I’m so sorry, we didn’t mean to hurt you like this. We’ve…I guess we’ve been punishing you for what your younger self did, which you don’t even remember because we gave him–you–amnesia pills, and you don’t deserve this.”

 

Leonard pulls back, meeting Ray’s eyes. “That’s not me anymore,” he says. “I’m not that person anymore. I don’t know _who_  I am, really, but I know I’m not him.”

 

“I know,” Ray says, cupping Leonard’s cheek in his hand. It’s funny, looking at Leonard is starting to hurt less. “I messed up, and I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.” 

 

“Yeah?” Leonard asks, leaning ever so slightly forward, close enough that their noses almost touch. “How? I’m all ears.”

 

Ray closes the distance, kisses Leonard, once, softly. 

 

“Hmm,” Leonard says, and Ray is heartened to see his eyes warming, slowly. “That’s a start.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159029482664/coldatom-5)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: 7, Snart (w/ ColdAtom obvs)  
> 7\. “You make a good pillow.”

“Do we know what it was?” Sara asks, frantic, as Ray and Mick drag Leonard into the med bay. 

 

Ray shakes his head. “Some sort of neurotoxin, maybe? Whatever it was, he went down the second the gas reached him. We won’t know more until we can have Gideon analyze it.”

 

Mick just grunts and lifts Leonard’s limp form onto the cot so Gideon can start working. 

 

A few anxious minutes pass as Gideon works. Ray can’t tear his eyes away from Leonard, from the unnatural stillness of his normally dynamic teammate. Not that Leonard is always moving, but he moves with purpose. He stands with purpose. He sits with purpose. There’s nothing purposeful about him now. 

 

Gideon breaks through his train of thought with an answer. “Mr. Snart will be fine. The gas was designed to knock him out, and all he needs is time for it to be flushed from his system. I would recommend carrying him to bed and letting him sleep it off.”

 

The three of them breathe a sigh of relief in unison. 

 

“I’ll sit with him,” Ray offers, as he and Mick carry Leonard again, this time to the man’s quarters. 

 

Mick looks over at him, and Ray blushes, remembering the conversations he’d had with the man about Leonard, after Leonard’s death. 

 

“Ya gonna make a move, Haircut?” Mick asks. 

 

Ray shakes his head, but Mick snorts at him. 

 

“Whatever you say.”

 

Mick has a point though, Ray thinks, as he curls up in Leonard’s bed, putting a pillow in his lap, and resting Leonard’s head on the pillow. Mick has a point, Ray thinks, brushing his fingertips lightly over Leonard’s close-cropped hair. 

 

They’d missed each other, Ray and Leonard. Ray and Kendra had happened instead, and then Leonard had feelings for Sara. And then Leonard had died. 

 

But he’s back now, Leonard’s back, and he and Sara had talked it out, and Ray isn’t with Kendra, and so maybe Mick is right. Maybe it is time to make a move. 

 

Leonard shifts, and Ray resists pulling his hand back. “Hey,” he says softly instead, rubbing his thumb lightly across Leonard’s cheekbone. 

 

“Mmm,” Leonard says, opening his eyes and turning on his back to look up, “you make a good pillow, Raymond.” 

 

Ray grins. “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah,” Leonard replies, pulling Ray down to meet him in a soft kiss. “You do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159126987284/7-snart-w-coldatom-obvs)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: 85 and 81, coldatom is possible ?  
> 85\. “You have the most amazing eyes.”  
> 81\. “Can I kiss you?”

It’s not that Ray is drunk, no. It’s just that he’s a little tipsy. But he can hold his liquor, definitely. 

 

Plus, it’s definitely not fair that Leonard doesn’t appreciate this, and is instead dragging Ray back to the ship, saying something about, “I’m cutting you off,” and, “Okay, time for you to go to sleep.”

 

Ray definitely doesn’t whine at him, definitely doesn’t try to pry himself out of Leonard’s surprisingly firm grip on his arm. He definitely doesn’t stop dead in the middle of the sidewalk to lean back against a wall, just to like, rest for a second. It’s the world that’s spinning, absolutely not his head.

 

Leonard gives a sigh of frustration. “Raymond, can you please stop acting like a five-year-old and just let me get you back to the ship?” he asks, his face illuminated in the streetlight, his eyes reflecting in the dim light. 

 

“You have the most amazing eyes,” Ray muses aloud, captivated by the somewhat angry glare the other man is giving him. And Ray may be tipsy (not drunk, _tipsy_ ), but he definitely can read fondness in that expression, somewhere under the exasperation. Exasperation that changes to something else after Ray speaks. 

 

Something else that is then hidden by Leonard looking down and away. “That’s enough of that,” he says, and Ray is too out of it to understand what he means. 

 

Leonard grabs hold of Ray’s arm again, and resumes dragging him back to the ship. Ray lets himself be pulled, but he tugs his arm, shifting around the hold Leonard has on it until they’re holding hands instead. 

 

“What are you doing?” Leonard asks, but doesn’t snatch his hand back. 

 

Ray grins at him. “I’m holding your hand!” he says, happily. 

 

There’s no response, and Leonard remains quiet the rest of the way back to the ship. He stays quiet until they reach Ray’s room. 

 

“Okay,” he finally says, “we’re here. Go to sleep.”

 

Ray looks at him in the dim nighttime lights of the Waverider. “Can I kiss you?” he asks, his hand still clasped in Leonard’s. 

 

“No,” Leonard replies, sounding annoyed. “You’re drunk. I make a habit of not kissing drunk guys.”

 

“But you do kiss guys?” Ray asks, the alcohol making him tactless. 

 

Leonard sighs. “Yes, Raymond. I do. Now go to sleep. If you remember this in the morning, we can talk about it.”

 

“I’ll remember!” Ray chirps. “Gideon! Make sure I remember!” 

 

“Of course, Dr. Palmer,” Gideon replies smoothly, and Ray pretends not to see Leonard glare up at the ceiling. 

 

“Fine. Bed.”

 

This time, Ray obeys, pulling his hand out of Leonard’s and stumbling into his room. He falls down on his bed, fully clothed, and passes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159129157579/85-and-81-coldatom-is-possible)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: coldatom, 20. “It’s 8:30, I have a hangover and you’re annoying me.”
> 
> combining this prompt with: wadeypoo replied to your post “85 and 81, coldatom is possible ?  
> i need the morning after conversation and KISS!
> 
> this is a DIRECT SEQUEL to the ficlet in the previous chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part one is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10465977/chapters/23244993)

**The next morning**

Ray is standing in the communal ship’s bathroom, fresh from the shower, fighting with his hair. Usually it’s not such a problem, he can style his hair in his sleep. But he has a headache, he’s slightly nauseous, and he has a foggy recollection that he said or did something stupid last night.

 

None of that helps. He sighs, leaning forward to rest his head against the mirror. “It’s 8:30, I have a hangover, and you’re annoying me,” he says to his hair. 

 

“Having issues, Raymond?” Leonard drawls from the doorway, and Ray jumps, nearly dislodging the towel wrapped around his waist. That would’ve given the other man quite a show and…oh, no. 

 

Ray suddenly remembers last night, being dragged back onto the ship, asking Leonard for a kiss…He must turn bright red, because Leonard smirks and steps in, cocking his head to the side, considering Ray with a pinpoint focus. 

 

“Let me help,” Leonard says, stepping right up close to Ray and reaching his hands up to run through Ray’s hair. Ray can’t help but shiver at the touch. He knows Leonard feels it, but the other man doesn’t comment, just keeps finger-combing Ray’s damp hair into its usual neat style. 

 

Leonard’s face is so close to his own, and Ray is not awake enough for this. But he has to say something, he has to, because Leonard is right _there_ , touching Ray, and Ray kind of wants to throw up but he also really wants to kiss Leonard.

 

“About last night,” he stammers out, but Leonard takes a hand out of Ray’s hair and puts it against Ray’s lips instead.

 

“Shh,” Leonard says, “I’m not done.”

 

Ray obeys, only because his head hurts. Definitely. Okay, he’s lying, he loves it when Leonard tries to boss him around. Sometimes, fighting back is fun. Sometimes, doing what he’s told is also fun. This is absolutely the latter.

 

After another minute or so, Leonard finishes up fixing Ray’s hair and runs his fingertips lightly down the not-quite-dry skin of Ray’s back. 

 

“Now I’m done,” Leonard says, resting his hands gently on Ray’s waist, his thumbs hooking in the edge of the towel. “What were you going to say?” he asks, his face barely an inch away from Ray’s. 

 

“I, um, well I was wondering, uh…” Ray is stammering again, but Leonard doesn’t look as annoyed as he usually does when Ray can’t get his words out. He has a smile playing across his lips, those lips that Ray just wants to lean forward and kiss… “Last night, you said we could talk if I remembered, and I remember, I remember our conversation, I remember asking you–”

 

“If you could kiss me?” Leonard finishes, his eyes glinting. “I did say that. And you are sober now.”

 

“I am,” Ray assures him. “I mean, I feel like death and I might throw up, but I’m definitely sober, and wow, that’s not sexy, I’m sor–”

 

Leonard kisses him. Ray’s astonished, how gentle it is: Leonard takes his time, moving his lips against Ray’s slowly, his hands firm on Ray’s waist. Ray’s hands move up, to clutch at the back of Leonard’s trademark navy blue sweater. Leonard tastes like coffee and he kisses with a preciseness and intensity that Ray thinks he should have expected from the other man. 

 

It’s exquisite, and Ray thinks he could just kiss Leonard for the rest of his life. 

 

Leonard pulls back, way too soon for Ray’s liking. Ray tries to follow his lips, to keep kissing him, but Leonard places a hand on Ray’s chest to hold him back. 

 

“The rest of our teammates are gonna come flooding in here soon, do you really want them to be privy to this?” Leonard asks, and Ray has to admit the man has a point. “Plus,” Leonard continues, “you should probably get dressed.”

 

Ray feels his face fall at that, but Leonard laughs at him.

 

“Pretty boy, it’s not even nine in the morning. I’m barely awake, and you’ve got one hell of a hangover. We can continue this when we both feel slightly more human, okay?”

 

That cheers Ray up, and he smiles brightly, noting that Leonard’s eyes widen at his grin. “So, tonight, then?” he asks, and Leonard nods.

 

“It’s a date, Raymond,” Leonard replies, leaning in to press a quick, light kiss against Ray’s lips before he turns and walks out. 

 

Ray watches him leave, holding a hand up to his lips. Things on the Waverider are going to get a _lot_  more interesting…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159288309544/coldatom-20-its-830-i-have-a-hangover-and)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Prompt: Leonard is embarrassed about his squishy/chubby body and doesn't want his boyfriend Ray to see it. Ray ends up showing Leonard how much he loves him and his body. What do ya think?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is dedicated to the cult of Squishy Snart, love every single one of you

There’s finally, finally a quiet moment, and Ray is in Leonard’s room, finally. 

 

They’d kissed a week or so back, at the end of a grueling and dangerous mission. Well, Leonard had thrown him up against a wall and kissed him. And Ray, of course, had kissed Leonard back. 

 

He’d been harboring a crush for _months_ , of course he kissed Leonard back. 

 

But then everything went to hell again, and again, and again. Typical, for the team. Not that Ray minds; he loves the chaos. But he’d also really love to have some quiet time with his–boyfriend? He’d like that to be it, and it certainly seems as though Leonard would be at least a little bit interested in that, at least in the sense that he would probably growl at anyone else Ray touched. 

 

Leonard is a little possessive. Ray supposes he likes that just a little bit too much. That’s not supposed to be the hallmark of a healthy relationship. Ray doesn’t really care, though, especially not right now, not when Leonard has him pushed up against another wall and is pressing breathless kisses down his jaw and along his collarbone. 

 

The best part is that this wall is inside Leonard’s room, and that Leonard’s door is locked tight. Well, maybe that’s not the _best_  part, the best part maybe is Leonard’s teeth grazing across his skin. Ooh, or maybe Leonard’s roaming hands, fisting in his hair and grasping at his waist, and slipping under his shirt. Or maybe it’s the light groans coming from the other man’s mouth. Maybe it’s–okay, it’s everything.

 

 _Everything_.

 

Leonard drags Ray over to the bed, and Ray is so excited that he has to keep from bouncing up and down a little bit. That’s _not sexy_ , and he knows that Leonard knows he’s a dork, but he still wants to seem _cool_  and _collected_  and not like the dork he is. Leonard still probably catches on because he laughs, low and sultry, and _god_ , that’s sexy. 

 

Ray wishes he could be as effortlessly sexy as Leonard is, instead of just an oversized awkward mess of limbs and goofy smiles. 

 

Leonard straddles Ray, slipping his hands under Ray’s shirt and pulling it up and off, tossing it away. Ray looks up at–his lover?–Leonard, running his hands up Leonard’s sides. 

 

“Lights, Gideon,” Leonard commands breathlessly, and Gideon kills the lights.

 

“Wait, what?” Ray asks. “No, Gideon, don’t turn the lights off. Leonard, what are you doing?” 

 

Gideon turns the lights back on. 

 

“Lights _off,_  Gideon.”

 

“Stop, Gideon. Leonard, I want to see you,” Ray insists. 

 

“Gentlemen, I can continue to turn the lights on and off, but I recommend that you make up your minds as to which one you would prefer,” Gideon sounds out over the speakers, and Leonard groans, resting his forehead on Ray’s shoulder. 

 

“Thanks, Gideon,” Ray says, and rests his hands gently on Leonard’s waist. “What is it, sweetheart?”

 

Leonard’s words are almost unintelligible, muttered quickly and muffled against Ray’s chest. 

 

“Idon’twantyoutoseeme.”

 

Ray is stunned. “Why would you not want me to see you? You’re gorgeous.”

 

Leonard shakes his head, his face still pressed against Ray’s shoulder. “You’re just so…” He sits back on his heels and looks down at Ray. “You’re so _muscled_. And _gorgeous_. And _toned_. And I’m…” He trails off, his eyes narrowed in a glare, but Ray doesn’t think it’s a glare at _him_ , he thinks Leonard is annoyed with himself. 

 

“You’re what?” Ray prods. 

 

Leonard takes a deep breath and runs his hands down his face. “I’m chubby,” he says, his hands slightly muffling his voice again. 

 

“Good,” Ray says, with conviction. 

 

Leonard peels his hands away from his face. “What?” he asks, looking dubiously down at Ray. 

 

“Good,” Ray repeats. His hands are still on Leonard’s waist and he rubs his thumbs against the soft skin he feels there, under Leonard’s shirt. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve had you pressed up against me quite a few times in the past week or whatever–however the passage of time works when we’re in the temporal zone–anyway, it’s not like I’m gonna be surprised at your body type, Leonard.”

 

Leonard still looks mystified, so Ray continues.

 

“I _like_  that you’re soft,” he says. “You’re comfortable, you’re pleasant to touch, and I…” He runs his right hand over from Leonard’s waist, across his stomach. “I like this,” he says, blushing. 

 

“You do?” Leonard asks, placing his hand over Ray’s, resting on the curve of his stomach. 

 

“I do,” Ray says, smiling brightly. “I really do.”

 

“Gideon,” Leonard says, grabbing the neck of his shirt to pull it over his head, “leave the lights on.” 

 

And, fuck, if Leonard isn’t the sexiest man Ray has ever seen in his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159873573074/prompt-leonard-is-embarrassed-about-his)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Ray uses Leonard's squishy tummy as a pillow and someone, maybe Lisa, takes a picture of them asleep together like that.

Leonard’s half-asleep on his couch. Raymond is curled up on top of him, head pillowed on Leonard’s soft stomach. Leonard’s eyes are half-shut as he lets the noise of _Pacific Rim_ –they’re both suckers for giant robots fighting giant aliens–wash over him as he absentmindedly runs his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair. 

 

His eyes flutter shut and his hand stills, and he can feel himself drifting off into sleep when he sees a camera flash. His eyes flick open to his sister, her phone out, snickering. 

 

“Lisa,” he groans, “why?”

 

Raymond stirs, nuzzling his face into Leonard’s stomach, whining. 

 

Lisa grins and takes another photo. 

 

“What time is it?” Raymond asks in a sleep-rough voice, and Leonard throws a glare at Lisa for waking his boyfriend up. 

 

“It’s like eleven at night,” Lisa answers, “and you two are _adorable_.”

 

“Go away, Lis’,” Leonard says, in an attempt at a commanding tone, but it just comes out in a mumble. 

 

“Did you take a picture of us?” Raymond asks, his words slightly slurred from sleep.

 

“No,” Lisa responds. “I took two!”

 

“Can you send them to me?” Raymond asks, smiling against Leonard’s stomach. 

 

Lisa nods and texts them over to Raymond. Leonard feels Raymond’s phone buzz against his leg and Raymond reaches into the pocket of his sweatpants to fish it out. 

 

“Yeah,” Raymond says, opening the pictures. “We’re adorable, Leonard.”

 

Leonard rolls his eyes, but rubs his thumb along Raymond’s jawline. They _are_ pretty adorable. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/159880133589/ray-uses-leonards-squishy-tummy-as-a-pillow-and)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: whatever u do, dont think about ray using the squishy snart tum as a pillow and smiling real big when len runs lazy fingers thru his hair

It’s been a long day. Half the team almost died, there were explosions and fights and lots of loud noises and Ray is just. so. tired.

 

But the day is over, finally, and Ray is back in Leonard’s quarters. They’ve gotten all their excess energy out, and now they’re just curled up together, falling into sleep. 

 

Leonard is reading his book, as usual, and Ray is poking at his tablet, working on bits and pieces of his suit, as usual. Ray’s head is resting on Leonard’s soft stomach–his favorite pillow. 

 

He loves how soft his boyfriend is; how, under all those layers of clothes and standoffish sarcasm, that Leonard is squishy and soft and gentle. 

 

Ray snuggles in closer, his cheek rubbing against the soft fabric of Leonard’s sleep t-shirt and the even softer skin underneath–even covered with scars, Leonard’s skin is gloriously soft. 

 

Leonard hums, peering down at Ray over his book before shifting his grip on his e-reader so he can use it one-handed. He reaches the other hand down and threads it through Ray’s hair. 

 

It’s Ray’s favorite thing, and he practically purrs as his boyfriend pets him, fingers tangling in his hair, fingernails running lightly over his scalp. 

 

He forgets what he was working on and puts down his tablet. There’s no way he can focus on his work when this is happening. His hand joins his head on Leonard’s stomach, resting on the gentle curve and his fingertips digging in slightly as he wriggles in pleasure. 

 

“ _Leonard_ ,” he sighs happily, his smile wide and bright. He feels almost drunk with happiness. 

 

To Ray’s delight, Leonard smiles back–he doesn’t look away from his book, but he _smiles_ , and Ray takes it as a win. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/160173047434/whatever-u-do-dont-think-about-ray-using-the)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous asked: Leonard joins Ray for a workout session and he gets distracted by Ray's toned body and Ray gets distracted by Leonard's fluffy body.

Ray throws his body in the air, the pole clicking into place on the next hook. His muscles flex as he prepares to do it again, his legs hanging down as he moves his way up the salmon ladder. 

 

He flings his body up just as the door opens, luckily catching himself on the next rung before he looks down to see Leonard Snart walking in, wearing only a thin black t-shirt and black sweatpants. 

 

“ _Boy Scout_ , sorry to interrupt,” Snart drawls, his eyes lingering for a second on Ray’s sweaty, bare chest. “I’d assumed everyone was asleep. I can leave you alone if you–”

 

Ray jumps down. “No, that’s okay. I don’t mind the company.”

 

Snart raises an eyebrow at him. “Do you promise not to chatter?”

 

“I promise! I’m just gonna be going again on the salmon ladder a few more times before I’m tired enough to go to sleep.” True to his word, Ray jumps up, knocking off the bar and attempting to catch it before it hits the ground. He fails, and sighs as he picks it up.

 

“Okay, well, I’m gonna–” Snart walks over to the punching bag hanging directly in Ray’s sight-line, “use this.”

 

Ray nods, and hooks the bar up on the first rung. Then he throws his body up the air yet again, trying not to watch Snart stretch out his muscles before he starts on the bag. 

 

It’s distracting, though. This is the least amount of clothing he’s ever seen Snart in–usually the other man is wearing a ton of layers. He tells himself it’s scientific curiosity as he examines Snart’s body type, as he notes the curve of a soft stomach, as his eyes focus on Snart’s arm muscles. 

 

Snart is certainly strong, Ray has no doubt. He’s impressed at the speed and strength behind the man’s punches as Snart starts on the bag, and the agility behind them. Leonard moves like water, all flowing waves and deadly accuracy. 

 

Ray remembers being on the receiving end of one of those punches, remembers the blood he’d wiped away, and the fact that his answering punch had only knocked the other man off balance and not left a mark or broken skin. 

 

Still, his eyes linger of the soft curve of Snart’s stomach. Ray hadn’t expected that; he had expected Snart to be completely toned. It piques his interest more than he’d like to admit–Ray likes it when people are a little softer, especially if they’re tough on the outside. 

 

Lost in thought, Ray loses focus, and misses the next rung. He hits the ground with a loud, “Oof!” The pole clatters down after him, whacking his shins. He’s got enough padding on his ass that he’s pretty sure he didn’t break anything, but he’s gonna be sore in the morning. 

 

Ray hears the steady  _thump_  on the punching bag stop, and hears footsteps as Snart makes his way over.

 

“You okay, Raymond?” he asks, and Ray thinks he hears concern seeping through the drawl. “Did you hit your head?” 

 

Ray’s about to respond when he sees Snart looming over him, reaching a hand down to prod at the back of his skull. 

 

“Don’t want any of my teammates to try to have my back while nursing a concussion,” Snart mutters, gently lifting Ray to a seated position and continuing to dance his fingertips over the back of his head. 

 

Ray winces at a soft prod, and Snart shakes his head. 

 

“Med-bay for you, come on.” He easily lifts Ray up off the floor, and Ray, dazed, clings onto the other man, not keeping track of where his hands are. “ _Really_ , Boy Scout?” 

 

Ray looks down, notes that one arm is draped across Snart’s shoulders and the other–the other hand is resting on Snart’s stomach. 

 

“Sorry,” Ray says, pulling his hand back quickly. “I didn’t–uh, sorry.”

 

Snart snorts. “’s fine. I’m a little flattered, _Raymond_ –don’t think I didn’t notice why you fell.”

 

Ray feels himself blushing as they head to the med-bay. “Sorry.”

 

“Will you _stop_ apologizing?” Leonard asks, annoyance seeping through his tone. “I just told you that I’m flattered that I was distracting you enough to cause you to fall on your ass. Don’t be an idiot about it.”

 

They get to the med-bay as Ray is still trying to process Snart’s words. His head is foggy, but he thinks Snart is flirting with him? Or at least saying that he’s okay with Ray checking him out? It’s all very confusing.

 

It only gets more confusing, when Leonard brushes a stray piece of hair back from his forehead as Gideon analyzes his injuries. 

 

“Mr. Snart was right to bring you here, Dr. Palmer–you do indeed have a concussion. I’ll get to work on that right away, you should be healed up in no time at all,” Gideon says, and Ray feels her working, soothing and brushing away the fuzz in his head. 

 

Leonard stays by his side the entire time Gideon works, even with Ray’s protests that he should go back and finish his workout, that he doesn’t need to stay, that Ray is _fine, really_. 

 

“You’re not fine, you have a concussion, and I’m not letting you out of my sight, because you’re a terrible patient and I don’t want Gideon coming after me for letting you wreck all her hard work.” Leonard sighs. “I can’t believe how much the team let you get away with while I was gone,” he murmurs. “I can’t believe I gotta be here to keep you in line.”

 

“What’d’you mean?” Ray asks, as Gideon gives him the go-ahead to sit up. 

 

Leonard rolls his eyes, helping Ray up. “This,” he says, and pins Ray against the med-bay cot, their bodies pressed flush together. He stares into Ray’s eyes for a minute, his hand running gently through Ray’s hair. “You need someone to look after you, Raymond. Otherwise you’re gonna get yourself killed.”

 

“Like you did?” Ray asks, the words slipping out without his consent. 

 

Leonard hums. “Only to stop you and Mick from making stupid decisions. But I’m back, and this time I’m gonna stay alive to do _that_.”

 

Ray gulps, and decides to be bold. The signs all seem to be there, that Leonard is coming on to him, that Leonard is making his intentions known, and Ray wants to make his known as well. He rests his hands gently on Leonard’s hips and leans forward, brushing his lips softly against Leonard’s. Briefly, lightly, he kisses Leonard.

 

Then he pulls back, resting his forehead against Leonard’s. “Thank you, for looking out for me. I–I wanna do the same for you.”

 

“You already look out for all of us, Raymond,” Leonard replies, his breath warm against Ray’s mouth. “You always have. I just want to make sure you feel appreciated. I want to make sure you know how much _I_  appreciate you.” He surges forward at that, catching Ray’s mouth in a heated kiss. 

 

Ray feels himself moaning into it, his fingers digging into Leonard’s hips, crushing their bodies together as their mouths move against each other. 

 

It’s warm and soothing and it feels like coming home. Ray wants to curl up in this kiss, in this moment, and live in it forever. He tells Leonard as much when they break apart, both breathing hard.

 

“Well,” Leonard responds, “you should stay up to make sure the concussion doesn’t set back in. I’m sure we can find _something_  to do to fill the time.” His eyes sparkle as he pulls Ray back to his room, and Ray follows willingly, looking forward to getting his hands all over Leonard’s soft, cozy body. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://biraypalmer.tumblr.com/post/160202898784/leonard-joins-ray-for-a-workout-session-and-he)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asks:  
> Oh, well, you're welcome to make it ship oriented (which, I know you just mentioned that coldatom week was over, but you're welcome to do whomever). And maybe some body positivity coming from the other party? Compliments/Soft lovins?
> 
> **PWP**

Ray _loves_ the kilt. Well, he loves everything his boyfriend wears. But he loves it when Leonard wears the kilt. 

 

He especially loves seating Leonard on the edge of their bed and running his hands up the other man’s thighs, slipping them under the edge of the skirt and making Leonard gasp and wriggle under his touch. 

 

In fact, Ray’s favorite part of any day Leonard wears the kilt is the end of the day, when Ray gets to act on all the dirty thoughts he’s been collecting throughout the day, thanks to the kilt. 

 

Today is no exception. Leonard, as usual on days like this, is perched at the edge of the bed. His legs are wrapped around Ray’s waist, the skirt hiked up around the tops of his thighs. 

 

Ray’s jeans and underwear are pooled around his ankles and he’s got one hand wrapped around both of their cocks, the other hand frantically working on the buttons of the kilt. Sometimes he leaves the kilt on the whole time, but today he wants to see all of Leonard--wants to feel all of Leonard. Both of their shirts are already off, but Ray wants _more_. 

 

He finally gets the buttons open without breaking their deep, passionate kiss and shoves the fabric away with his free hand. He then moves his free hand to caress Leonard’s stomach, rubbing circles on the soft, squishy skin. 

 

Early on in their relationship, Leonard had been shy about his stomach, complaining about being chubby. Now, he knows how much Ray loves it, how much Ray loves his softness, and he doesn’t complain. 

 

Today, he throws his head back and moans as Ray rubs against a sensitive spot on his lower belly, and Ray grins, leaning forward to press kisses against Leonard’s neck. 

 

“Fuck, _Raymond_ ,” Leonard groans, tightening the grip of his legs around Ray’s waist. “That feels so _fucking good_.” 

 

Ray smiles against his skin, and quickens the pace of the hand that’s jerking them both off, enjoying the way Leonard whines and thrusts his hips up. 

 

“God,” Ray mutters against Leonard’s neck, “you’re _gorgeous_ , sweetheart.”

 

Leonard whines again, a needy, sultry noise that almost tips Ray over the edge. 

 

“I love your body,” Ray continues, pressing kisses along Leonard’s neck and up and across his jawline. “I love the way you feel under my fingertips, I love the way you taste, the way you move--”

 

Leonard swears loudly, his hips bucking up as he comes, spilling out over Ray’s hand. Ray doesn’t stop moving his hand until Leonard finishes, and then he only just releases Leonard’s cock and moves to his own, still pressing kisses down Leonard’s chest. 

 

Leonard’s chest, which is heaving in deep breaths. It’s soft under Ray’s lips, pliable and supple. Ray loves it.

 

Leonard leans back slightly and takes Ray’s head in his hands as Ray continues kissing his way down Leonard’s chest, as Ray feels himself getting closer and closer to orgasm. 

 

“God, Ray,” Leonard mutters, his voice raw and rough and breathless, “you make me feel so good--” He cuts himself off with a moan as Ray sinks teeth gently into his stomach. “Fuck,” he continues, “you’re too good to me, darling, I wanna worship you, I wanna--I wanna make you come so hard, baby, come for me, I wanna see you come--”

 

Ray whimpers this time, lifting his head to kiss Leonard again. Leonard’s hand joins Ray’s hand on Ray’s cock, moving together in unison. It only takes a few seconds, and then Ray is coming, throwing his head back and calling out Leonard’s name. 

 

When his brain clicks back on, Ray looks back to find Leonard grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat. 

 

“What?” Ray asks, grinning back.

 

“Nothing,” Leonard replies, pulling Ray in for a quick kiss. “I just love how passionate you get when I wear my kilt.”

 

Ray shrugs. “It’s a good look on you.”

 

“I know,” Leonard says with a smirk. “Why do you think I wear it so much?”

 

“To tease me?” Ray posits.

 

Leonard hums in agreement, pulling Ray back in for a kiss. Ray sinks into it, his hands settling on Leonard’s thighs. Yeah, this is Ray's favorite part of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161414096789/oh-well-youre-welcome-to-make-it-ship-oriented)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shesthemuscle said to snartbaiting:  
> Have you done a first time someone appreciated/made Snart feel good about his squishyness? If not, you should.

Ray is snuggled up with Leonard, his head on Leonard’s shoulder and his hand running up and down the other man’s torso. They’re lying down in Leonard’s bed, watching _Star Trek_  projected on the wall at the end of the bed. 

 

Leonard twitches, suddenly, as Ray’s hand shifts down across his soft stomach. 

 

“You okay?” Ray asks softly, twisting to look up at Leonard’s expression. 

 

Leonard’s face is twisted up in something that Ray thinks might be discomfort, and Ray instantly starts to worry. He and Leonard have only just started this--whatever this thing is that involves lots of kissing, a good amount of sex, and a growing amount of cuddles. Ray definitely doesn’t want to screw it up. 

 

“Just feels weird,” Leonard says, grimacing. 

 

“Which part?” Ray asks. 

 

“You, uh, touching, uh--” He gestures at his stomach. 

 

“Why?”

 

If Ray didn’t know better, he’d think Leonard was insecure. 

 

“Not used to it. Can we just--can we move on?”

 

Ray shakes his head. “If I’m doing something that upsets you, I wanna know exactly what it is and why, so we can work through it.”

 

Leonard snorts. “You’re a goddamn saint.”

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Ray responds, his hand resting at the base of Leonard’s rib cage. 

 

“Yeah, well. It’s just...” Leonard trails off, collecting his thoughts. “You don’t need to _fix me_ , Raymond.”

 

“I’m not trying to fix you,” Ray insists. “I just, I want us to _communicate_. This isn’t gonna work if we don’t.”

 

Leonard sighs. “Shit,” he mutters. “Fine.” He lifts a hand from Ray’s waist and starts running his fingers through Ray’s hair absently, as he speaks. “I haven’t, well, haven’t been with anyone for a while. Been too busy, too caught up in my own shit. And, well, aging and all that--I’ve put on some weight. You’re the first person I’ve been with since that.” 

 

Ray looks up, to judge Leonard’s expression again. It’s severe, and a little awkward, like Leonard feels strange about the words coming out of his mouth. Like the admission pains him. But, he said it. He said it, so he must want this to _work_. 

 

It makes Ray’s heart soar. 

 

“I like it,” Ray says, after a second to consider the weight of Leonard’s words. 

 

Leonard looks at him, startled. “What?”

 

“I _like_ it,” Ray repeats. “You’re--you’re soft. That’s _nice_. You’re comfortable. I like touching you.”

 

Leonard’s mouth opens slightly as he continues to look at Ray in confusion. 

 

“Hey,” Ray says, lifting himself off Leonard and propping himself up on his arms so he can look down at the other man, “you have a fantastic body, Leonard. I like--I like the feel of it, I like the softness of some of it. You’ve got some great muscles too--like your arms, I love those--but I like that your stomach is soft, I like that you’re a little chubby.”

 

Leonard lifts a hand, caresses the side of Ray’s face. “Yeah?” he asks, a smile blooming on his lips, crinkling up his cheeks beautifully. 

 

“Yeah,” Ray agrees, leaning down to brush a light kiss against the tip of Leonard’s nose. 

 

“Dork,” Leonard mutters, and pulls Ray’s lips down against his own. Ray feels the smile linger through the kiss, and he smiles back, grinning against Leonard’s lips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161448963979/have-you-done-a-first-time-someone)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shesthemuscle said to snartbaiting:  
> 68\. I can’t talk about this anymore.

“I can’t talk about this anymore,” Ray says, turning away to curl up against the wall.

 

“Hey, hey,” Leonard says, his voice soft without any trace of his normal drawl. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry. You know I worry about you, Raymond.”

 

“I know,” Ray mutters, feeling Leonard shuffle closer and wrap his body around the shape of Ray’s own. “I just don’t see why it matters.”

 

Leonard sighs and reaches over Ray’s side to tangle their fingers together. His breath is warm and soothing on the back of Ray’s neck. 

 

“Your life _matters_ , Raymond. _Darling_. Why won’t you believe that?”

 

“I said I can’t talk about this.”

 

There’s silence for a minute, the only sounds are the two of them breathing and Ray’s heart, pounding in his ears. 

 

Then Leonard shifts, moving his hand onto Ray’s shoulder and pulling away to throw his weight into making Ray flop over onto his back. He pins Ray down to the mattress, looking straight into his eyes. 

 

Ray could wrestle Leonard, could win, but there’s no point. Leonard is tenacious, he’s not going to just let this go. Ray might as well just give up, close his eyes, let this happen.

 

“No,” Leonard growls. “Look at me. _Look at me_.”

 

Ray opens his eyes.

 

Leonard’s expression is pained, worried, and Ray _hates it_. He hates making Leonard worry. He wishes that he could take it all back, that he would never have said anything about this. It’s stupid, anyway. 

 

“You are amazing,” Leonard says, his voice still a guttural growl, like he’s containing his anger. It’s at odds with his words, even as he continues, “You are one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met, Raymond. You care so deeply about everyone, and you take care of every single person. But you _deserve_  to be taken care of. You _deserve_  love and affection and attention.”

 

Ray wants to stop listening, but Leonard’s hands are firm and warm on his shoulders, and Leonard’s expression is slowly changing to pure affection. It’s making Ray conflicted--on the one hand, he wants to curl up and die and never talk about this again; on the other, he wants to live in this moment forever, if only Leonard would never stop looking at him like that.

 

“You _matter_ , darling. And I--” Leonard pauses, taking a deep breath. “I _love you_ , Raymond. So, so much.”

 

“You--” Ray is speechless. Leonard _loves_  him? They’re dating, they’ve been dating for a while but...but Ray is so used to being the one who loves the most, who loves the hardest, who says those words first. 

 

“I love you,” Leonard repeats, his eyes soft and...and _loving_. “God, Raymond, I’m so in love with you.” He drops his head down against Ray’s shoulder, shifting from pinning Ray to cuddling. “I just wish you loved yourself even half as much as I love you.”

 

Ray’s hand lifts up, and he runs it across Leonard’s scalp automatically. His mind whirls, too fast for his mouth to keep up with. There’s so much--it’s all overwhelming. He opens and closes his mouth about five times before Leonard lifts his head back up. 

 

“Look, you don’t have to respond,” Leonard says, quietly. “I just needed you to know that. I _need_  you to take care of yourself, to value yourself, but I know that’s gonna be a process, and I want you to know that I’m here for you and I--”

 

“I love you,” Ray says, tripping over the syllables and butchering the cadence. But, he says it. He says it. 

 

Leonard’s smile is fond but sad. “I know,” he says. “Can you try, for me, to love yourself?”

 

Ray purses his lips, considering. “I can try,” he finally says, his voice small and weak.

 

“ _Thank you_ ,” Leonard replies, and leans down to kiss Ray, soft and sweet. “It’s a start, darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161493283674/coldatom-68)


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ruthc93 said to snartbaiting:  
> Coldatom + 84 (and if you can, have Ray say it)

“Are you okay?” Leonard asks, his blue eyes warmer than Ray has ever seen them. 

 

Ray is curled up on this bed, shoes still on, arms wrapped around his legs. He is clearly _not okay_. 

 

Well, he says clearly, but Leonard is the only one who’s walked past his room and actually noticed. Not that Ray meant to leave his door open, and he’s been trying to work up the spoons to get up and close it. Or even the spoons to speak, to ask Gideon to close it. 

 

When Ray doesn’t respond, Leonard walks in and closes the door. He peers at Ray as he walks over. Ray follows the other man with his eyes, but still doesn’t talk. He can’t form words right now. 

 

Leonard settles himself at the other end of Ray’s bed, his long legs diagonal on the mattress, one resting on top of the other. 

 

“Lisa used to have panic attacks,” he says, and it’s another thing to add to the list of things about Leonard that are now warm: his voice. “Something would happen and she’d think our father was going to come for her, was going to punish her, even when he was safely in prison. She’d go non-verbal, too. It was just silent screaming, shaking, crying.

 

“Talking her down was never the same thing twice. It was never something I got good at. It was always different, always heartbreaking. I’m not sure that’s what’s going on with you, so I’m not sure talking you down is what you need, but you haven’t kicked me out yet, so I’ll take it as a sign.”

 

Ray still can’t speak, but Leonard doesn’t seem to mind. 

 

“That mission was tough, huh?” he asks, clearly not worrying about getting a response from Ray. “Barely made it out in one piece, the lot of us. You see death like that, it can change you. Seeing someone burned alive, right in front of you--stop me if talking about it makes it worse, but I think talking it out helps. Helps come to terms with what happened, and--”

 

“I thought it was you,” Ray whispers, his voice hoarse. 

 

Leonard’s eyes widen, and Ray sees him swallow. “I’m okay, Raymond,” he says, his voice soft.

 

Ray doesn’t speak.

 

Leonard schools his expression and continues. “The team’s okay. You’re okay. We made it out. We’re all here to fight another day, another battle. Was that it, that you thought it was a teammate?”

 

Ray shakes his head.

 

“Was it...” Leonard trails off, then clears his throat and starts again. “Was it that it was _me_? Specifically me?” he asks, tentative and shy. 

 

Ray nods and buries his face in his knees. 

 

“ _Raymond_ ,” Leonard says, and Ray hears him move closer, feels strong, warm arms around him. 

 

More to add to the list of warm things about Leonard Snart: his arms. His embrace. 

 

“Raymond,” Leonard repeats, “I’m here, I’m okay.”

 

“I felt like I’d been split in two,” Ray whimpers, his mouth still pressed against his knees. This is too much, he can’t _say these things_ , not to someone he’s not even close with--but now that he’s started, he can’t stop. “I felt like I was going to wake up and you were going to be dead, again, at the Oculus. I felt like I was losing you all over again, and I felt the pain of the first time and it echoed through me and I--”

 

He cuts himself off, tears leaking out of his eyes. His face is still hidden by his knees, and he takes deep, gasping breaths, trying to stem the tears.

 

Leonard is still wrapped around him, hand rubbing comforting circles into Ray’s back. “It’s okay, Raymond,” he says, “I’m here. I’m not leaving you, not again.”

 

“I wish I could believe that,” Ray says, in between sobbing gulps. 

 

Leonard stops rubbing his back, and Ray wonders why until he feels himself pulled forward, and suddenly he’s sitting in Leonard’s lap, arranged so his head is tucked into the crook of Leonard’s neck. Leonard’s arms are tight around him.

 

They’re quiet for a few minutes, while Ray sobs into Leonard’s shoulder, and Leonard just holds him. Slowly, the tears subside, and his breathing slows, until he’s just cuddled up on Leonard’s lap, warm and safe. 

 

“Is this a good time to ask you on a date?” Leonard asks suddenly, his mouth moving against Ray’s hair. 

 

That shocks a wet, soppy laugh out of Ray. He sniffles, balling his hands tight in Leonard’s shirt. “You’re asking me on a date while I’m getting snot all over your shirt?” he asks, voice still raw and wrecked. 

 

“Yeah, well, nobody would ever say I had a sense of propriety,” Leonard replies, and Ray _feels_  him smile. “I mean it, Raymond, I’m planning on sticking around and annoying you for a very long time.”

 

Ray lifts his head up, still sniffling, and wipes at his eyes. “You’d better,” he says. He takes a deep breath and feels his head clearing. 

 

He also feels exhausted. He wants to put his head back down on Leonard’s shoulder, but it’s _damp_  now. 

 

“I need a nap,” he says, instead of dropping his head. 

 

“Maybe you should take your shoes off,” Leonard says, reaching around Ray to start untying his own.

 

“What are you doing?” Ray asks, kicking his shoes off onto the floor.

 

“Taking a nap with you,” Leonard says, as if it was the most obvious answer in the whole world.

 

“Oh.”

 

Leonard smiles, and fuck if it isn’t the most beautiful thing Ray has ever seen. “I meant it,” he says, reaching up a hand to cup Ray’s cheek. His thumb brushes lightly against Ray’s cheekbone. “About the date, about sticking around. If you’ll have me.”

 

“Yes,” Ray says, without hesitation. 

 

“Okay then,” Leonard says. He leans forward, presses a light kiss against Ray’s forehead. “Come on, sleepy, let’s take a nap.”

 

Leonard curls up around Ray, holding him in warm, strong arms, his warm, soft body cuddled up against Ray’s back, his breath warm on the back of Ray’s neck.

 

Ray sinks into sleep, and his heart feels warm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161495526799/coldatom-84-and-if-you-can-have-ray-say-it)


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous said to snartbaiting:  
> 5\. and Coldatom? (Don’t touch me right now.)

“Don’t touch me right now,” Leonard snaps, and instantly regrets the words as Raymond jumps back, eyes wide and hurt. It doesn’t make his mood any better, doesn’t make him want to let Raymond lay a hand on his skin--his skin that feels like it’s on fire. Like fire ants are crawling over it. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Raymond whispers, eyes wide as globes. He shuffles over to the other side of the couch, hands up in the air. 

 

Leonard groans. This isn’t how he wanted today to go. This isn’t how he wanted tonight to end. He _wanted_  things to end with Raymond’s hands all over him, not the complete opposite. Not his chronic pain flaring up and ruining his day. 

 

“It’s not your fault,” Leonard says, and tries to explain. Yes, it’s a flare-up. No, there’s nothing that can be done. Yes, he’s already on the highest recommended dose of pain meds. No, Gideon can’t do anything else, he checked. Yes, the only thing to do is to wait it out. 

 

No, Raymond still can’t touch him. 

 

“I _want_  you to touch me,” Leonard says through gritted teeth--a side effect of both the pain and the frustration. “But _not right now_.”

 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Raymond asks, and Leonard tries to smile, but winces instead. 

 

“I--” Leonard stops as pain shoots through him, and he pants, riding it out. When it passes, he looks up to sharp concern in Raymond’s eyes. “No,” he says. “There’s nothing.”

 

“Will distractions help? Want me to put on another movie? I’ll sit with you, as long as you need.”

 

Leonard considers the offer for a minute, before nodding. “That would be good. Something bloody and violent, please.”

 

“ _Mad Max: Fury Road_?” Raymond suggests. 

 

“ _Perfect_ ,” Leonard replies. 

 

Raymond gets up, puts the movie on, and sits back down, close enough that Leonard could reach out and touch, but far enough away that Leonard’s aching skin is safe from accidental contact. 

 

Gideon automatically turns the temperature down. Raymond curls up under a blanket as Leonard lets the coolness flood over his skin, fill him up with a bare minimum of relief. He’ll take anything he can get, at this point. 

 

Raymond’s presence _is_  comforting. Leonard glances over, tracing the shape of the other man’s face, outlined with colors in the warm orange glow of the opening scene of the movie. 

 

Maybe Leonard’s chronic pain ruined the end of their first date. But Leonard isn’t quite self-deprecating enough to think there isn’t going to be a second date, not with the way Raymond tears his eyes away from the movie to smile sweetly at Leonard. 

 

At least Raymond understands, at least he _gets it_. That’s a nice change. He’s not pushing at Leonard to “tough it out” or “get over it.” He’s just letting Leonard breathe through the pain, let it fade away by itself. 

 

Leonard takes a deep breath, steeling himself. Then he leans forward, pressing his lips to Raymond’s. It hurts, but only for a second before he pulls back. 

 

Raymond’s eyes are softly shut, his lips lightly parted. He opens his eyes slowly, smiling at Leonard. “What was that for?” he asks.

 

“Being you,” Leonard replies, and winces as he shifts in his seat. 

 

“Maybe don’t do that again until you’re through this wave of pain,” Raymond suggests.

 

Leonard would laugh if it wouldn’t hurt so much. “Shut up and watch the movie,” he commands instead. 

 

“You started this,” Raymond replies, and winks before turning back to the screen.

 

Later, when the pain pulls back to its usual simmer, Leonard gets to thank Raymond _properly_. And oh, there’s touch. Hands and mouths and bodies pressed together and--yeah, it’s worth the wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161683404834/5-and-coldatom)


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bottomraypalmer said to snartbaiting:  
> 38 & 39 (together... ; ) )
> 
> 38\. Can you slow down?  
> 39\. It feels deeper this way. 
> 
>  
> 
> **PWP**

“Can you slow down?” Ray asks, panting hard. Leonard is on top of him, inside of him, thrusting in hard and fast. It’s not that Ray doesn’t like the pace, it’s not that it doesn’t feel _amazing_ , it’s just that Ray really wants this to last. 

 

Leonard groans and shudders to a halt, resting his head on Ray’s sweaty shoulder. 

 

“I didn’t mean _stop_ ,” Ray says, laughing. 

 

“Make up your goddamn mind,” Leonard growls and, fuck, that’s sexy. 

 

Ray laughs again and feels Leonard smile against his skin. “Flip over,” Ray says, “I wanna ride you.”

 

Leonard lifts his head, and Ray can see that he’s grinning, wide and feral. “Seems fair,” he says, and they rearrange themselves accordingly. 

 

Once Leonard is settled on his back, Ray lowers himself slowly down on Leonard’s cock. 

 

“That better, gorgeous?” Leonard asks, breathless. 

 

“God, _yes_ ,” Ray moans. “It feels deeper this way,” he grunts, bracing himself against Leonard’s chest as he takes Leonard all the way in. 

 

“You mean with you controlling the pace?” Leonard asks, huffing out laughs through his gasps. 

 

Ray hums in agreement, lifting himself half off Leonard’s cock to lower himself slowly back down again. 

 

Leonard swears and tries to buck his hips up, but Ray holds the other man’s hips steady with his hands. 

 

“Shh,” Ray says, “we’re going _slowly_.”

 

“I--hate--you--” Leonard gasps as Ray moves up and down on him. 

 

“You love me,” Ray mutters, keeping his grip on Leonard’s hips firm.

 

“I’m--fuck!--I’m breaking up with you--” Leonard threatens, but the whimper he lets out negates any chance of it being anywhere near true. 

 

“Mmm,” Ray says, lifting a hand briefly to push sweat-soaked hair off his forehead, “that’s nice, dear.”

 

“I’ll do it,” Leonard grunts, “don’t test me.”

 

Ray doesn’t respond, just rolls his hips and releases his hands, letting Leonard buck up to meet him halfway. Leonard swears loudly and Ray smiles, proud of himself. 

 

“Fuck! Raymond!” Leonard shouts, “I’m--I’m coming, fuck!” 

 

Ray slows down but keeps moving until he feels Leonard stop coming. Then he pulls off, laying down on top of Leonard and kissing him. He thrusts lazily against Leonard’s soft, sweaty body, not rushing. 

 

Leonard pants into the kiss, coming down from his orgasm. Soon enough, he calms down enough to snake a hand in between their bodies, wrapping it around Ray’s erection. 

 

“Oh, _Leonard_ ,” Ray moans, and Leonard laughs against his lips. 

 

“You like that, darling?” he asks.

 

“ _Yes_ ,” Ray responds, rolling his hips in rhythm with Leonard’s hand jerking him off. He feels the orgasm building, but he doesn’t pick up the pace. He truly wants everything slow tonight, and Leonard complies, his strokes sure and steady but not fast. 

 

When Ray comes, it takes him by surprise, and he just barely gasps out, “I’m coming,” before he spills out over Leonard’s stomach and chest. Leonard strokes him through the orgasm, his hand hot and firm around Ray’s cock. 

 

Ray rolls off Leonard when he finishes, gasping for breath. “Wow.”

 

Leonard laughs. “Yeah, shit. That was...”

 

“Nice.”

 

“Mmm.”

 

“Amazing.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I love you,” Ray says, flipping onto his side and brushing his hair off his forehead again.

 

Leonard looks over, turning his head to the side to look into Ray’s eyes. “Love you too,” he says. 

 

They smile at each other, their respective breaths still coming in short bursts. They take a minute to collect themselves before cleaning up and getting into pajamas. 

 

Then they curl up together back in bed, wrapped around each other, and fall contentedly into sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/161686235804/38-39-together)


	20. Knight in Tarnished Armor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard is a part of the Legends in s2, and when Ray goes after Darhk in Camelot/3000, it's Leonard, not Nate, who follows him into the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Ruth and a horrible headcanon conversation about something mostly unrelated for the idea for this ficlet.

Raymond went after Darhk. _Alone_. Leonard doesn’t realize until it’s too late, until Raymond is already gone. 

 

He looks around the battlefield and sees that the fight is over, so nobody will miss him. Without a word to anyone, he turns and leaves at a dead run. Raymond is no match for Damien Darhk, and Leonard feels his heart pounding in his throat as he follows the path that both men took before him.

 

He enters the clearing to find Darhk already gone, and Raymond lying on the ground, legs folded up beneath him.

 

“Raymond!” Leonard half-shouts, falling to his knees next to Raymond’s prone body. He never told him–they never got a chance– “Raymond,” he repeats, “ _please be okay_.”

 

“If you keep that up,” Raymond says, his voice hoarse and raw, “someone might think you actually care about me.” 

 

Leonard sighs in relief, rocking back on his heels. He runs a hand over his hair, not worried that both his scalp and his hand are covered in muck and blood. He looks back down as Raymond tears off the breastplate to reveal the ATOM suit underneath.

 

“Raymond, you _goddamn moron_ ,” Leonard says. “I’m glad you’re not as much of an idiot as you seem.”

 

“It’s not Raymond anymore,” Raymond says, still sounding a bit woozy. “It’s ‘Sir Raymond of the Palms.’“

 

“Oh, I’m _terribly sorry_ ,” Leonard drawls, reaching down to wipe a bit of muck off Raymond’s cheek, “how could I ever have forgotten, _Sir Raymond of the Palms_. My mistake.”

 

Raymond chokes out a laugh and tries to sit up. As Leonard loops a hand around his back to help him up he mutters, “And you seem to be my knight in shining armor.”

 

Leonard feels heat rising to his face. He doesn’t deserve that title, though, especially since he knows that Raymond has _ideas_  in his head about glory and chivalry and a big, sweeping, romantic idea of knights and lords and…

 

“More like ‘knight in tarnished armor,’“ Leonard murmurs back. He starts to undo the buckles on the bits of armor on Raymond’s arms before he realizes that the other man is staring at him. “What?” he asks.

 

“Looks pretty shining from where I’m sitting,” Raymond says, his voice soft and warm. 

 

They stare at each other for a minute, Leonard’s mind whirling. If he’s reading this right–and who knows if he is–the expression in Raymond’s eyes is making his heart skip a few beats with the intensity, with the…the _affection_. 

 

Raymond’s eyes flick down briefly to Leonard’s lips and back up to Leonard’s eyes, and then he leans forward, pressing their lips lightly together. It sends an electric shock through Leonard’s body, and he forgets where they are, forgets they’re in the middle of a forest, in the snow, in _Camelot_. 

 

All that matters is kissing Raymond again and again and again until they’re both gasping for breath, arms wrapped tight around each other, bits of medieval armor scattered around them like a fairy circle. It’s all that matters, until he feels Raymond shiver in his arms. 

 

“Should we get back to the ship, _Sir Raymond of the Palms_?” Leonard asks, his lips a mere breath away from Raymond’s. 

 

Raymond nods, and Leonard can feel his smile. “I think we should, my knight in shining armor. The team will be worried.”

 

“Not as worried as I was,” Leonard admits, helping Raymond up off the snowy ground. 

 

Raymond beams at him. “That’s _why_ you’re my knight in shining armor.” He holds out his gauntleted hand and Leonard takes it and together, they walk back to the ship and out of Camelot.

 

Really, the legends are true: Camelot _is_ a magical place.


	21. Interrupted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Ray walked in on his teammates and the one time they walked in on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not specifically a tumblr prompt, more of something that rose out of a conversation with the group chat, but it fits here.

**1.  
**

The first time Ray walks in on his teammates sharing a moment, it feels like a punch to the gut. Like the punches he gets, a few minutes later, at the hands of Vandal Savage. He doesn’t begrudge Kendra her soulmate, really, he doesn’t. It’s just, he would have appreciated if she’d broken up with him before reciting a love poem to her long-lost love. While basically caressing not-Carter’s face, no less. It’s all he can do to turn and walk away, to ignore Kendra calling his name. To not go back and cause a scene.

It’s not his place.

 

**2.**

The second time is when Ray walks into a tent in Camelot. This time it’s not painful, it’s just a bit embarrassing. He wanted to thank the Queen, he just didn’t mean to mess with Sara’s flirtation at the same time. His sense of chivalry may have mucked some things up in the process. At least he has the decency to fix it, to tell Sara that every good legend ends with a kiss.

He doesn’t watch as Sara turns and walks back in, presumably to kiss Guinevere. It’s not his place.

 

**3.**

He knows Nate and Amaya are up to  _something_. It’s not that he doesn’t notice the lingering glances and the too-intimate touches, he just really would rather not deal with it. But he has to, he has to, because Amaya has a destiny. And they’re adults, he knows this as he runs between them, away from Gertrude. They’re  _adults_ , but they just can’t.

He has to figure out what to say, even though it’s not his place.

 

**4.**

It’s only a little while later when he walks in on them again, and he knows he has to say something to Nate, because Amaya’s not like them—she has a  _destiny_. There’s a place for her, carved out in history. And it may not be pleasant, and he may hate leaving her to it, but it’s her place nonetheless.

So it’s still not  _his_ place to tell Nate, but he does anyway, because he’d hate to see things progress and for someone to get hurt. He’d hate to see one of them get hurt for getting in the way of destiny.

Like he did.

 

**5.**

Ray had long suspected that Sara’s late-night strategy meetings with Zari were something more than just strategy, and he only blames himself when he wanders onto the bridge on the middle of the night and sees them definitely  _not_ engaged in strategy conversation. And he’s happy for his captain, truly, he is. Zari is wonderful and bright and brave, and she and Sara both deserve happiness.

He backs out, silently, not interrupting them because, after all, it’s not his place. It’s Sara’s ship, she can do what she likes. He just wishes they’d done it in Sara’s quarters instead. 

 

**+1.**

In hindsight, kissing Leonard on the bridge may not have been the best idea. Not the kissing part, that was definitely one of the best ideas Ray has ever had, and he’s had a lot of great ideas. No, it’s the bridge part, specifically the part where they’re in the middle of a mission, and the team poured back onto the bridge when things were really getting good.

And by getting good, he means when Leonard got over the initial shock and kissed Ray back, fists balled in the fabric of his polo shirt. But, of course, they get interrupted by Sara and Mick cackling, and a variety of other team members groaning at their display.

Leonard smiles into the kiss, though, before pulling back and bitching at the team, so Ray isn’t too upset. He curls his arms around Leonard, and grins at the team while Leonard snarks. This  _is_  his place, and he’s very glad of it.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lattelaurel said to snartbaiting:  
> Coldatom + 59?  
> 59\. “No one can hurt me like you can.”

Leonard’s being overbearing again. Ray loves the man, more than anything, but it drives him up a wall when Leonard nags. Ray’s made it this far without any help from anyone, he doesn’t need Leonard telling him what to do at every turn. 

 

Especially now, when Leonard is berating him for running head-first into danger. 

 

“This is our job, Leonard!” Ray snaps. “This is what we do! I’m not gonna stand back and watch someone get blown up when I could have saved them.”

 

Leonard’s glare sharpens. “There were other ways to go about it. You didn’t have to throw yourself at the bomb. You didn’t have to  _plug yourself into the bomb_.”

 

“Really?” Ray asks. “ _Please_ , Leonard, enlighten me as to what these other ways were! Please tell me what I could have done to save all those lives, rather than disarming the bomb with, yes, my suit plugged into it so I could better figure out its inner workings!”

 

Leonard’s mouth opens and closes as he flounders for an answer. 

 

“That’s what I thought,” Ray says, a bit smug that he’s winning the argument this time. 

 

“Raymond, I can’t  _protect you_  when you do stupid shit like that,” Leonard says, his voice harsh and raw. 

 

The words should feel good, Ray should feel loved. Instead, it just feels like Leonard doesn’t trust him enough to take care of himself. That stings. It grates. It rubs him the wrong way. 

 

And, well, Ray has never had a very good brain-to-mouth filter. 

 

“Just because you couldn’t protect Lisa from everything doesn’t mean you have to make up for it with me,” he snaps. 

 

Leonard’s face blanches. Ray immediately regrets his words, but they’re already out there. All he can do is clasp his hands over his mouth, eyes wide, as he watches Leonard flick through emotions: shock, anger, bone-deep pain. 

 

He lands on the pain and, oh god, Ray’s heart drops into his stomach. 

 

“I am so sorry, Leonard,” Ray says, muffled against his hands. “I didn’t mean it.”

 

Leonard, instead of responding, turns and walks over to their bed. He sits down heavily and puts his head in his hands. Ray waits a beat and then walks over to sit down next to his boyfriend. 

 

He places a hand tentatively on Leonard’s shoulder, and is relieved when Leonard doesn’t shrug it off. “Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I’m just...” He trails off, collecting his thoughts. “I’m just not good at letting people take care of me. I don’t like feeling like you don’t trust me, like you don’t think I can handle myself.”

 

Leonard sighs, his face still buried in his hands. “Goddamnit, Raymond,” he mutters, “no one can hurt me like you can. That’s what I get for letting you in.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Ray says again, replacing the hand on Leonard’s shoulder with his head, snuggling up against his boyfriend’s side. “I’m so sorry. I love you.”

 

At that, Leonard lifts his head, looking over at Ray with red, wet eyes. “Don’t ever use Lisa against me like that again,” he commands. Or, tries to: it’s hard to sound commanding with your voice coming out in a croak. 

 

Ray nods against the crook of Leonard’s neck. “I won’t,” he promises. “I’m sorry.”

 

“I know,” Leonard says, lifting a hand up to run it through Ray’s hair. “I know.”

 

“I love you,” Ray says again.

 

Leonard sighs. “I love you, too. I know you can take care of yourself, even if you’re a moron.”

 

Ray huffs out a weak laugh. “ _Thanks_ ,” he says, rolling his eyes. It’s not  _really_  an apology, but Leonard is bad at apologies. It’s close enough, and Ray will take it. He snuggles closer against Leonard’s side, settling in. 

 

Leonard sighs again and wraps his arm around Ray’s shoulders, resting his head on top of Ray’s. 

 

Yeah, Ray thinks, they’re gonna be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/162849595314/coldatom-59)


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kendrasaunders said to snartbaiting:  
> coldatom + 118. “Your favorite superhero can’t be a villain.”

“So,” Nate asks, after a few beers, “who was, like, the coolest superhero you met while working with Team Arrow?” He’s leaning up against the foot of the chair Mick is sitting in, his head thrown back just barely enough to be almost leaning against Mick’s thigh. Mick is ignoring Nate, drinking his beer. 

 

Ray thinks for a moment, flicking through heroes and powers and...

 

“Brie Larvan,” he says, suddenly remembering the tiny, robotic bee that’s stashed somewhere in his toolbox. “I had a run-in with her while Felicity--that’s my ex--and I were visiting Team Flash. Cisco and I called her the Bug-Eyed Bandit! She made these, like, tiny robotic bees that were super deadly. She almost killed Barry and Cisco with them! They were amazing feats of engineering, I still use some of her tech in the ATOM suit and--”

 

“Your favorite superhero can’t be a villain, Raymond,” Leonard chimes in, rolling his eyes. “Nerd.” 

 

Ray grins, and taps a quick rhythm on one of the legs Leonard has draped over his lap. “Well, you used to be a villain and now  _you’re_  my favorite superhero, just not one I met working with Team Arrow.” 

 

Mick snorts, the only sign he’s given in the last twenty minutes that he’s even paying attention to the conversation. 

 

Leonard’s eyes widen slightly, and Ray takes that as a sign to keep going.

 

“And, I mean, you’re also the  _coolest_  superhero but still didn’t meet you while I was with Team Arrow so...I had to improvise, and you know how much I love robots and miniaturized tech and--”

 

“Shut up,” Leonard says. “Don’t steal my cold puns.” But he grins, slow and sharp, his eyes full of the warmth that Ray is only just starting to get used to seeing. 

 

“Ugh,” Nate bemoans, overdramatic and sarcastic, “get a  _room_ , you two.”

 

Leonard turns away from Ray briefly to sneer at Nate, before dramatically--Ray has a brief thought that Leonard and Nate should have a show-down to see who can be more overdramatic, and Ray would put his money on Leonard--throwing his legs off Ray’s lap so he can stand up. “If you insist,” he says, holding out a hand to Ray. 

 

Ray takes it, and waves goodbye to Nate and Mick. Nate waves back, shaking his head. Mick catches Ray’s eye and winks, clearly amused. 

 

They’re halfway down the hallway before Leonard says, “So, I even beat out fancy tech villains, on your list of favorites?”

 

“You know you do,” Ray responds, and lets Leonard pull him into their room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/163665308279/coldatom-118-your-favorite-superhero-cant-be)


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> shesthemuscle said to snartbaiting:  
> “Hold my hand so he gets jealous.” + Coldatom

Leonard hears Sara sigh at his side. He flicks his eyes in her direction, turning his head to follow his gaze after a second. 

 

“What?” he asks. 

 

“You’re staring at Ray,” she says, her voice luckily quiet enough that Raymond  _probably_  didn’t hear it.

 

She’s right, of course. Not that Leonard would admit it. “I’m not.”

 

Sara sighs again. She’s about to say something, but stops herself. Leonard can see her eyes brighten, and he groans internally. She’s planning something, and he’s pretty sure he’s not gonna like it.

 

“Hold my hand so he gets jealous,” she says, a mischievous smirk on her face. 

 

“What--”

 

Sara grabs his hand, tangling their fingers together. Leonard tries to pry his hand away, but Sara’s grip is iron. He hopes, hopes, hopes that Raymond doesn’t pick that moment to turn around.

 

Of course, Leonard’s luck runs out at the worst times. Raymond spins around, and Leonard watches the words die on his tongue as his eyes fall on their interlocked hands. Then, he watches the happy wall snap back up, and Raymond chirps something about the engine working again. 

 

Leonard doesn’t listen, just focuses on slipping his hand out of Sara’s as subtly as he can. He thinks he dislocates a few fingers before he does finally pry his hand free. Trying not to wince as he massages the sore digits, he glances back up at Raymond. 

 

The other man is resolutely not looking at Leonard while he finishes telling Sara what he did to the engine. Once he finishes, he stands up, and makes to head out of the room.

 

“Well?” Sara mutters. “Go after him!” She gives Leonard a shove that is probably going to leave fingertip bruises on his back. 

 

He grumbles to himself, before hurrying off the bridge. “Raymond,” he says, lengthening his stride to catch up. “Raymond, wait.”

 

Raymond stops, but doesn’t turn around. “What, Leonard?” he asks, and Leonard can hear that there’s no smile in his voice. 

 

Leonard takes a deep breath, and tries to plunge in headfirst. It never works out the way he wants it to, though. “I think Sara may have broken some fingers with that death grip,” he says, turning it into a joke. Deflecting. It’s not serious, it’s nothing, come on Raymond, smile. 

 

“You’ll have to talk to  _her_  about that, for next time,” Raymond says, and moves as if to keep going.

 

But Leonard has caught up and he reaches out, grabbing hold of Raymond’s arm, and wincing at the pull of his sore fingers. “There’s not gonna be a next time, unless she actually plans on breaking my fingers.” 

 

“Why not?” Raymond asks, letting Leonard tug him, turn him around so they’re facing each other. Leonard watches as Raymond forces the mask back up, the light, bright, empty mask. There’s no fake smile this time, just wide eyes that feel blank. “She kissed you, after all. I thought you two might...” He trails off as Leonard shakes his head.

 

“It was a pity kiss, Raymond. It didn’t mean anything. I thought I wanted...I don’t know. I don’t know why...it doesn’t matter. What matters--” Leonard takes another deep breath, and takes the plunge-- “what matters is that it's not her hand I want to be holding.” Ugh, that sounds so cheesy and flat and--

 

“No?” Raymond asks, and the blank look fades, to be replaced with cautious curiosity. Huh. Well, cheesy is the way to go, with Raymond, apparently. 

 

“No,” Leonard confirms. He slides his hand, still holding Raymond’s (very large) bicep, down, gently clasping Raymond’s hand. “Not hers.”

 

The clouds part, and Raymond smiles: a beam of sunlight pouring out. It’s infectious, and Leonard smiles back, the corners of his lips curling up. 

 

“Uh,” Raymond stammers through the smile, “you mean me, right? My--you want to be holding my hand? You--you mean me?”

 

Leonard gestures with his head at their conjoined hands and squeezes lightly. “Do my actions not make that clear?” He pauses while Raymond flounders for a response. “I guess,” Leonard continues, taking a step forward, “that I will have to make myself even more clear.”

 

He lifts his free hand to brush against Raymond’s cheek, to tilt Raymond’s head at a slight angle. Then he leans forward, leans up, and presses their lips together. Leonard means for it to be short and sweet, but as he tries to pull back, Raymond wraps him up and pulls him back in, kissing him soundly. 

 

And, well, Leonard definitely isn’t going to complain about that. 

 

He’s not going to complain about that, or about Raymond’s fingertips digging into his soft sides, or about the glowing grin Raymond flashes him in between kisses as they stumble to Leonard’s room, or about the noises Raymond makes as he pants underneath Leonard...

 

He might not even complain about the purpling of his hand when he wakes up the next morning. Well, not loudly, and not where Sara could hear him. He certainly doesn’t complain when Raymond alternates between pressing kisses and ice on his bruised knuckles.

 

A small price to pay for bliss, really. He should send Sara a thank you present. One of those boxes with a spring and a boxing glove...yes, that’ll do nicely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on tumblr [here](http://snartbaiting.tumblr.com/post/163667525189/hold-my-hand-so-he-gets-jealous-coldatom)


End file.
